Calls by a group of retired officials for the Privy Council president to mediate political crisis talks are tantamount to trying to stage a coup, a representative for the Pheu Thai Party's legal team has warned.
Panas Tassaneeyanont said no provision exists in the constitution to permit such an intermediary role.
"Old soldiers" have appealed to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, seen at a ceremony last week with Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont (left) and army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha, to step into the political crisis with proactive steps. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
On Monday, a group calling itself Rattha Bukkhon (State Citizens) proposed that Privy Council president and statesman Prem Tinsulanonda act as intermediary in defusing the crisis.
Gen Prem could consult judicial agencies, the military and leaders of other organisations to draft a proposal to end the crisis, the group said.
That proposal could then be forwarded to the King, who could instruct the statesman on how to proceed, according to the group.
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Mr Panas said Tuesday the proposal was a bid to engineer a coup, adding that it was bound to be opposed, particularly by red-shirts who are critical of Gen Prem.
He said the Pheu Thai Party has not yet decided its position on caretaker Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri's plan to ask the government to invoke Section 7, seeking His Majesty’s recommendation to intervene if the court oversteps its authority and rules to disqualify Yingluck Shinawatra as caretaker prime minister.
Ms Yingluck has been accused of violating the charter over her order transferring Thawil Pliensri as National Security Council chief in 2011.
He added the party is expected to discuss Mr Chaikasem's idea after the Songkran holidays.
A member of the Rattha Bukkhon group, Pramote Nakhonthap, said earlier the King's wishes should be heeded in the event of national emergencies. But he made it clear the group is not asking the King to install a prime minister.
Mr Pramote insisted that using a statesman as the ''middle man'' to help defuse the crisis would be constitutional.
Another group member, Gen Saiyud Kerdphol, said their proposal should be put into practice immediately, without waiting for the country to go into a leadership vacuum first.
However, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva argued that now is not the time to be mulling over the invocation of Section 7.
Mr Abhisit said proposals by both Rattha Bukkhon and Mr Chaikasem are out of the question and cannot be pursued until a political vacuum occurs.
If and when that happens, he said all sides would have to get together and agree on what steps to take to address the void.
Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut added that the constitution allows for alternative options to be used to resolve the crisis.
Gen Prem has yet to give his view on the Rattha Bukkhon group's proposal, according to his close aide.
Lt Gen Phissanu Putthawong, head of Statesman Foundation Office, said Gen Prem was aware of the group's proposal.
However, he said the Privy Council president has refused to answer questions about the plan so far.
Lt Gen Phissanu said he believed the Rattha Bukkhon group was trying to find a solution to the country's political problems in good faith.
Their efforts could prove useful for restoring peace, he added.